1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for sharing an image input device on a network and, more particularly, to a system capable of using an image input device regardless of the type of interface to the image input device.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, a system for sharing peripheral devices such as printers on a network such as a LAN has been realized. Such system has certain advantages: the cost can be reduced by sharing the peripheral devices on the network and the space for installing these devices can also be minimized.
In a system like this, however, it is impossible to share an image input device such as a scanner on a network and control the device by using a universal image in-out interface.
Since a universal in-out interface cannot control an image input device on a network, the user on the client device side who wishes to use the image input device must go to an apparatus to which the image input device is connected, directly operate on the apparatus, and store the obtained image data in a desired location.
Alternatively, the user starts a dedicated client application not corresponding to a universal image in-out interface to acquire an image via the network and opens another desired image editing application to edit the image data.
As described above, in either case the user must temporarily stop the work that he or she is currently executing in order to load an image from the network.
The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has as its object to share an image input device such as a scanner on a network and control the image input device by using a universal image in-out interface.
It is another object of the present invention to allow a user to perform operations while he or she is unconscious of the types of interfaces of various image input devices on a network.
It is still another object of the present invention to reduce the load on a network when a user uses an image input device on the network.
It is still another object of the present invention to properly extend functions of a client device using an image input device.
To achieve the above objects, an image input server device on a network is searched for, device control information of an image input device locally connected to the found image input server is obtained from the server, and virtual device information based on a universal image in-out interface is generated from the obtained device control information. An image reading session is executed in collaboration with the image input server device by using the virtual device information and information of communication with the image input server device.
An image input server device to which an image input device is locally connected receives a session request from a client on a network and determines the type of requesting client from the session request.
Different image reading sessions are executed when the determination result indicates that the requesting client is a dedicated client and that the requesting client is a universal client.
Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.